When tragedy strikes — as in last week's car crash in Wheat Ridge that claimed the lives of two teens and seriously injured two others — Jeffco Schools officials can only bemoan the loss of federal money that once funded the district's campaigns to curb poor decision-making among its students.

Without that funding, individual schools in Jefferson County are now responsible for getting the message out to students about the dangers of reckless behavior like smoking and drunk driving.

In the wake of the deaths of Tyler Lovell, 18, and Rain Walsh, 17, in the crash Nov. 6, the district said mass campaigns dissuading students from poor choices cannot be afforded.

Wheat Ridge police suspect Lovell, the driver of the SUV, was intoxicated when his vehicle hit a tree at a high rate of speed. Two other men were injured in the collision.

"We don't have the funding we used to in order to offer all the services we did, such as anti-smoking and anti-drunk driving messages throughout the district," said Jeffco schools spokeswoman Melissa Reeves.

The district lost its federal funding two years ago, and without it the district has had to make cuts, including some prevention staff and campaigns.